Pumpkin and Chickpea Stew

Pumpkin and Chickpea Stew

This delicious pumpkin dish is a massive hit with all the family… it serves 6 so you have plenty of leftovers for lunch. Admittedly the children pick the herby bits out but as I keep telling them that’s what creates the AMAZING flavours! They were surprised initially that pumpkin could actually be eaten and wasn’t just to carve and stick outside the front door!

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

2 large onions, diced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped small (I often leave this out and I can’t be bothered to buy celery) 🙂

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 tsp ground tumeric

1/2 tsp ground ginger (or frozen fresh ginger)

100g red lentils

400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed

8 saffron strands

500mls passata (or you can use tin chopped tomatoes)

Handful chopped parsley

Large bunch coriander roughly chopped

300g squash or pumpkin

1.2L vegetable stock (reduced salt)

1 bay leaf

50g orzo pasta (can leave out)

Method

Heat the oil in large saucepan over medium heat and fry the onions. Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the garlic, celery, pepper, tumeric, cinnamon and ginger. Saute for a couple of minutes.

Then add lentils, chickpeas, saffron, passata, parsley and about half the coriander. Cook over a low heat for 15 mins.

Meanwhile, peel and dice the pumpkin/ squash into cubes. Add to the pan with the stock and the bay leaf. Cover and simmer gently for about 30 mins. Add the pasta and simmer until it is cooked. Season to taste.

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